The Hunter's Daughter
by Red Queen of Diamonds
Summary: Van Helsing adopts a daughter after her mother dies. Now, sixteen years later, Astrid helps a little with Van Helsing's missions. But what happens when Astrid gets kidnapped by an old enemy? Will Van Helsing be able to save her before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

The Hunter's Daughter

Chapter 1

The journey back to Rome was a silent one. It had been four days since princess Anna's Death. It was hard for both men, but it was much harder for Van Helsing then it was for Carl. Because not only was he in love with Anna, he was the one who killed her. He had killed her while she was trying to remove the werewolf curse, which made things even worse.

At first, Van Helsing's silence didn't bother Carl. After all, he was also upset that Anna had died. But toward the end of the third day, Carl started to get worried about him.

It was around noontime, on the fourth day. While they were resting, Carl handed a plate of food to Van Helsing.

He, however, turned away from it.

Carl heaved a sigh. "Come on, Van Helsing. You have to eat something," he said as he offered the plate again.

When Van Helsing rejected it again, Carl said, "I know you miss her, Van Helsing. I miss her too. But you have to eat something to keep your strength up."

"What's the point, Carl?" Van Helsing said, "I don't see anything else to live for."

"Do you think," said Carl after a moment, "that Anna would want you to remember her like this? She would want you to keep going. She would want you to think about the good things that happened. Not the bad."

Van Helsing knew what his friend said was true. Anna wouldn't want him to stop killing monsters because she died. Smiling slightly, he took the plate from Carl's hands and began to eat.

When they finished eating, they started to pack up to continue their way to Rome. Suddenly a scream pierced the silence in the air.

Van Helsing picked up his crossbow and ran toward the clearing from where he thought he heard the scream

As he entered the clearing, he saw a huge grey werewolf, walking toward a woman, who was on the ground. She was trying to back away from it while still clutching a small bundle to her chest, as if her life depended on it.

Thinking quickly, he ran behind the werewolf and shot an arrow into his lower back.

The werewolf turned to Van Helsing and ran toward him. Taking his gun (that had the silver bullets) from inside his coat, he took aim and fired just as the werewolf was in mid leap, and fell dead at Van Helsing's feet.

As Carl entered the area, Van Helsing turned to him and said, "The woman over there needs some help. Do you think you can help her?"

Carl rushed over to her to see what he could do. She wasn't bitten, but she had lost a lot of blood from the hole in her chest.

He looked up to Van Helsing. "I'm afraid that there is nothing I can do."

Van Helsing looked at the woman.

Looking up at Van Helsing, she feebly held up the bundle that she had with her to him, and said, "Take her… promise me… that you will… protect her in… anyway… that… you can."

Van Helsing took the bundle from her arms and looked back at the woman and said, "I promise."

With one last smile she said in a quiet voice, "And tell her… that… I love her…" Then, she closed her eyes, and breathed no more. Van Helsing unwrapped the bundle slowly as it was beginning to move on it's own. He was shocked to find a baby - a tiny baby girl. The baby looked into Van Helsing's eyes and was suddenly calm. 

After the burial of the woman, Van Helsing mounted his horse and Carl handed him the baby. Before they left, Van Helsing turned to Carl and said, "Astrid. I'll name her Astrid."

Carl smiled and nodded.

With one sharp kick, they took off. Carl, Van Helsing, and little Astrid asleep in his arms.

A.N. Well that's the first chapter. Tell me what you think. But be nice

Phantom's Bride. 


	2. Chapter 2

_(Disclaimer: I do not own Van Helsing.)_

Chapter 2

It had been sixteen years since Van Helsing adopted Astrid. Van Helsing loved having her around. He took care of her every minute that he could. And when he had to go on one of his missions, he would let Carl watch over her.

When she was five years old, she was taught how to fence and use all sorts of weapons. But her favorite was the crossbow.

When she turned seven, he allowed her to come along on some of his missions - helping him reload his weapons and all that. She killed her first gargoyle at the age of twelve.

Other times when she was not with Van Helsing, she would be back at the abbey either practicing her sword play, or helping Carl with his experiments.

And that's where we find Astrid now, sixteen years later.

"Careful with that, Astrid," said Carl as she was trying to mix some sort of liquid with another. "You don't want to blow up all the way to kingdom come now, do you?"

"Don't worry, Carl. I'll be care-" she didn't get to finish her sentence.

Because Carl, who was carrying some stuff, accidentally bumped into her. This caused her to pour too much liquid into the tube. The liquid started to bubble, then it engulfed them in foul smelling smoke.

"Well," said Astrid, waving the smoke out of her face. "It could have been much worse."

"It looks like another one of Carl's experiments has gone wrong," said a familiar voice.

"Papa!" Astrid yelled. She quickly ran over to him and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're back! How was Paris?"

Van Helsing smiled at her and said, "Paris was fine. Oh, and I got you a gift."

"What is it?"

Van Helsing put his bag on the ground and started to go through it. Then, he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a small box and handed it to her.

Astrid took it with a small smile and opened it. Inside was a silver necklace with a tiny cross. She lifted out of the box and into the light so she could see it better. "Oh, Papa! It's so beautiful!"

Van Helsing smiled as she admired the necklace. Watching her grow up over the years was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Astrid turned to him. "Could you help me put it on?" she asked.

He nodded as she turned around, pulling her raven black hair to one side.

As soon as he was done, she turned around and gave him another hug. "Thank you so much, Papa."

At that moment, the Cardinal came in. "Ah, Van Helsing. I'm so glad that you have retuned."

"It was just a simple warlock, sir," Van Helsing said.

"but I have another mission for you," the Cardinal said. "I need you to go back to Romania. There have been rumors that an ancient evil has returned to Transylvania. We don't know if they are true or not. But there have been many disappearances for the last two weeks."

"So when do you need me to leave?" Van Helsing asked.

"At least in three days," the Cardinal replied. He looked over at Astrid and gave her a smile as he left the room.

"Papa, do you have to go so soon?" Astrid asked. "You just got back."

"I know Astrid. But I've got to go. Carl, you're coming with me."

"Do I have a choice?" ask Carl.

"No, not really," Van Helsing replied with a smile.

"Can I come with you too?" she asked.

"I don't know about that." Van Helsing said seriously.

"Please?" she asked, giving him the puppy dog eyes.

Van Helsing looked into her crystal blue eyes. 'why does she have to do that?' he wondered to himself. He gave a sigh. "Alright, Astrid. You can come too."

Astrid smiled again, "Thank you, Papa. I'm going to go get ready." she said as she ran off to her room.

Little did they know, that the great evil in Transylvania was expecting them.

_A.N. that's the second chapter. I would like to my reviewers: Narnian Sprite, Jacquline Waugh, jimmy-barnes-13, Darrow, shariena, thepersian and dancinglemur. Thank you very much! PLEASE REVIEW!_

_Phantom's Bride_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Astrid sat on the dock while she waited for Van Helsing and Carl to buy the supplies that they needed for the journey. As she waited she looked out onto the ocean. It was dusk. The sun had just set and the moon had just started to rise. The golden moon reflected off the surface. It made the sea look as if it was enchanted.

Astrid felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to find Van Helsing smiling down at her.

"The ocean looks so pretty at night, doesn't it?"

Astrid looked back at the sea. "It does," she said.

Carl came walking over to them. "Van Helsing, everything is loaded on the ship."

Van Helsing looked at Carl. "We'll be right there," he said. He helped Astrid up off her feet.

"I love you, Papa," said Astrid to Van Helsing.

"I love you two, Astrid," he replied with a smile.

Together they walked over to the other side of the dock, where a large ship waited for them.

In the shadows, a pair of yellow eyes watched them, smirking. 'So, the hunter has a daughter,' thought the creature, eagerly. 'The Master will want to know about this.' with that, he turned, spread his wings, and took off.

_A.N. Well that's the third chapter. I know that it's short. But I'm saving the juicy part for the next chapter. I would like to thank my reviewers: Ron's Sexy Girly 750, Readerfreak10, Narnian Sprite, shariena, jimmy-barnes-13, MusicDeLovely, hotredhead, Fortune Zyne, and Firefly4000. Please review!_

_Phantom's Bride_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Astrid looked around the little village they had walked into. She had never seen a gloomier place. This place made an abandoned graveyard look like it was a happy place with butterflies and giggling children.

She looked at Van Helsing. "Are you sure that this is the place, Papa?" she asked.

"This is it," he said.

Carl looked around. "I was hoping that I would never see this place again."

"Isn't this the same village that you fought Dracula's brides?"

"It is," said a voice.

The three of them turned.

On the roof of one of the old houses, were four vampires. Not just any vampires. The vampires the Van Helsing hoped that he would never have to deal with again.

Dracula and his three brides.

"I thought I killed you," Van Helsing growled out.

Dracula smirked as he walked on the ridge of the roof. "You did," he said. "But I was given a second chance of life." He looked Carl then back to Van Helsing. "I see that you brought the monk with you."

"I'm a Friar," Carl squeaked.

Suddenly, Dracula's eyes fell upon Astrid. "You, however, I have not seen before."

Then he disappeared then reappeared right behind them. "You must be the hunter's daughter that one of my servants told me about. Astrid, isn't it?"

Astrid looked away.

Dracula's smirk grew even wider. "Ah, so that is your name."

Van Helsing pulled her behind him. "Leave my daughter out of this, Dracula," he snarled. "Your fight is with me."

Once again, Dracula disappeared then reappeared back on the rooftop. "Not this time, Gabriel. This time, it's someone else that I want."

Suddenly all four vampires transformed into the bat forms.

Dracula turned to fly back to his castle. But the brides, however, flew right at them.

Van Helsing picked up his crossbow and started shooting. "Run, Astrid!" he yelled.

Astrid shook her head as she dogged to one side, barely avoiding one of the brides. "I can help, Papa."

"The best thing you can do for me at this moment is to hide. I don't want you to get hurt. Now go Astrid. GO!"

Astrid knew that there would be no point in arguing so she turned and ran into a house and quickly locked the door.

Van Helsing turned back to fight the brides.

But then he saw two of the brides flying away.

Carl came out from behind one of the houses. "Well," he said. "It looks like you scared them off."

Van Helsing shook his head and said, "No. Only two brides flew off. The third still has to be here somewhere." Suddenly it hit him like a ton of bricks. Now he new what Dracula meant when he said that it was someone else that he wanted. He knew who it was that Dracula wanted.

Astrid.

He quickly turned Carl. "We have to find Astrid before-"

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and the third bride came crashing out of the broken down house with Astrid dangling by her feet.

Astrid quickly grabbed hold to the roof of one of the houses.

"PAPA! HELP ME!" she screamed.

"I'm coming Astrid!"

He ran over to the house. Luckily there was a ladder there. He quickly climbed up it. "Take my hand Astrid."

Astrid let one hand go and tried to grab for his hand. "Papa, you're too far! I can't reach!"

Suddenly there was a creaking sound. Van Helsing looked. The wood that Astrid was holding was starting to giveaway.

"Astrid, the wood is about to break. You have to reach farther."

"I'm trying."

"Don't give up! Come on! REACH!"

CRACK.

The bored broke into.

"NO! ASTRID!"

When the bored broke, Van Helsing's ladder fell backwards. And as he landed on the ground, he hit his head on a rock and he fell unconscious.

"PAPA!" Astrid screamed as her voice faded into the distance.

"Van Helsing? Van Helsing. Wake up."

Van Helsing opened his eyes.

Carl was standing above him, a look of concern on his face.

Van Helsing eyes opened wide and he sat up quickly. "Astrid! Where is she?"

Carl looked down. "I'm afraid that they took her."

Tears seemed to flow to Van Helsing's eyes, and they couldn't be stopped. He put his head in his hands as more tears came on.

He promised that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her.

He promised to protect her.

And he failed.

Carl put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll get her back. We need to get some rest so we can have an early start."

As Carl lay down to sleep, Van Helsing looked up at the starry sky. "I will find you Astrid," he whispered. "Where ever you are, I will find you. This, I swear to god."

_A.N. Here's another chapter for you. I would like to thank my reviewers: Readerfreak10, Memory from a dream Ron's Sexy Girly 750, and Lady Wednesday ._

_Please REVIEW!_

_Phantom's Bride_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Astrid thrashed around in the vampire grip. She knew that she had to get away. But how?

"Stop squirming!" the vampire yelled down to her.

Astrid stopped struggling. She had to think. Suddenly the cross that Van Helsing had given her fell in front of her face.

Then, she got en idea. She quickly took off the necklace. She held it to her heart. _'Please dear god, let this work,'_ she thought. Then, without warning, she pressed the tiny cross on the Vampires foot.

The Vampire screamed as the cross burned into her skin. It hurt so much, that the vampire let go of Astrid's ankle.

Down she fell. Astrid grabbed hold of a branch of a pine tree-so she wouldn't hurt herself to badly.

As she let go of the branch and landed on the ground. Suddenly, she a heard a sound of wings.

Astrid looked up at the sky. She saw all three brides coming her way.

Coming for her.

She knew that there was only one thing to do.

Run.

She ran in the opposite direction that she and the vampire had flown.

Suddenly, the vampires were upon her. She ran as hard as she could, hoping that she wouldn't be caught.

But then, two of the vampires grabbed her arms and pull her into the sky.

As they were flying she them arguing.

"Why does the Master want her so bad, Verona?"

"You know that I don't know that, Aleera," The one named Verona replied.

The third flew up to them.

"She has been nothing but trouble since we go her. Look what she did to me!" She pointed to her foot. It still had the little imprint of the cross.

"It doesn't look that bad, Marishka," replied Verona.

"Just be glad it was a small one," said Aleera. "A bigger one would have hurt a lot worse."

It was about that time when Astrid realized that she was not holding her cross anymore. She looked back at the forest. She must have dropped it when the one named Marishka dropped her.

Astrid looked ahead of her. She saw that they were heading for some mountains. The clouds hung so low they were covering the tops of them, giving them a mysterious look.

As they were drawing nearer, she saw something forming in the mist.

Then she realized that it was a castle.

'_Castle Dracula,' _she thought.

_A.N. That's chapter 5. I'd like to thank my reviewers:_ Ron's Sexy Girly 750,Readerfreak10Memory from a dreammew zakuro, jimmy-barnes-13Toad's Angel_, and _BadLuck92_. I'll update as soon as I can._

_Phantom's Bride._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Van Helsing had told Astrid about Castle Dracula when she was little. It was even scarier then her father had described it. Just looking at it, made her blood run cold. When she was around the age of six she had nightmares about places like this and it seemed that she had entered one of them. All except it wasn't a nightmare.

It was real.

All too soon, the were right next to it.

As soon as they flew in through an open window, she was dropped to the hard stone floor.

Dracula stood at one end of the room. He looked up at his brides and said sternly, "How many times do I have to tell you that you must be gentle with our guests."

Astrid turned to see the brides turn back to their human form. She didn't get a good look at them when they were in the village until now.

All three of them were very beautiful.

One Had Fiery red hair that was curly and spiraling down to her waist. And she was dressed in light pink.

The second one had long strait hair that was black as a raven that went a little past her waist. She wore a dress that was green and she also had a funny looking collar.

The third one had light brown hair that was slightly wavy, but unlike the others, her hair didn't go past her waist. It went to the center of her back. She was dressed in golden yellow. But her it was not a full dress like the other two vampire's dresses. Her outfit made her look like she was a genie.

"Forgive us Master," The one in green -who's voice Astrid recognized as Verona's- said.

Dracula briskly walked over to them.

And they ran over to cuddle him.

He gave them each a kiss on the cheek and turned to Astrid. "I'm sorry that they dropped you from so high up, my dear. I hope that you're not hurt."

Astrid picked herself up off the ground. "I'm fine," she said.

Dracula turned to the one in yellow. "Marishka, would you be so kind as to escort Astrid to her room?"

"Of coarse, Master," she replied. Marishka walked over to Astrid and grabbed her hand and quickly walked to a staircase.

She was walking so fast, that Astrid nearly had to run to keep from falling.

About half way down the hall, Astrid decided to brake the silence.

"I'm sorry about your foot."

Marishka slowed down her pace and looked back at her. "All is forgiven," she said, then added after a few minutes, "It doesn't hurt as much anyway."

Not another word was spoken until they reached her room.

The room was decorated in mostly dark red color. There was a small wardrobe in one corner and next to it was a vanity with an oval shaped mirror. And on the wall on the opposite side of bed was a medium sized fire place.

"I hope the room suits you," said Marishka from behind her.

Astrid turned to her and said, "It's nice. Thank you."

"Dinner is served a seven," she said as she closed the door and locked it behind her.

Astrid looked out the window. She knew that she had to get away.

She walked over and sat on the windowsill, thinking about her father.

'_Papa,'_ she thought as a tear slowly fell down her cheek. _'Please come and find me.' _

_A.N. Thanks for reading. I know that the brides seem a little nice. But that is how I'm going to make them to be. Sorry for those who don't like it. I'd like to thank my reviewer Readerfreak10 the next chapter is going to be about Van Helsing and Carl. Until next time, I remain your obedient servant. (I always wanted to say something like that.)_

_Phantom's Bride_


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